Spectacles

How to Choose a Frame

Frame shapes
For many people, choosing a spectacle frame is a daunting task. In recent years the range of materials, colours and styles has expanded dramatically making this task harder than ever. However a good optician will help direct you to styles and colours that are most suitable to your face shape and skin tones. The following is a guide that outlines what to look for when deciding on a spectacle frame
You should consider three main points when choosing a spectacle frame for your face shape:

• The frame shape should contrast with the face shape. This will enhance your own features and make the frames look well fitted and distinctive.
• The frame size should be in proportion with the face size i.e. your pupils should be in the middle of the lens and the width of the frame match the width of your head.
• Eyewear colouring should compliment your personal best feature (such as a bronze frame to match brown eyes).
Whilst everybody’s face is unique there are seven basic face shapes: round, oval, oblong, base-down triangle, base-up triangle, diamond and square

Round – a round face has the width and length in the same proportions and no angles. To make the face appear thinner and longer, try angular narrow frames to lengthen the face. So choose frames that are wider than they are deep, such as a rectangular shape

Oval- chin and forehead are rounded, your face appears longer than wide and your forehead is wider than your jaw.
The oval face is considered to be the ideal shape because of its balanced proportions.
Most frames suit this face shape, but what works best are frames that are as wide as (or wider than) the broadest part of the face

Oblong – This face is longer than it is wide and sometimes a longish nose. To make the face appear shorter and more balanced, try a deeper frame with decorative or prominent sides that add width to the face. Also look for a low set bridge to shorten the nose

Base-Down Triangle – the triangular face has a narrow forehead that widens at the cheek and jawline. To counterbalance the narrow forehead, try frames that are stylised on the top half-like an angular semi-rimless frame or a ‘cateye’ frame shape

Base-Up Triangle – this face has is wider at the top than the bottom. To minimize the width of the top of the face, try frames that are wider at the bottom, very light colours and materials, and rimless frame styles

Diamond – diamond-shaped faces are narrow at the eye line and jawline, and cheekbones are often high and dramatic. This is the rarest face shape. Choose rimless frames or oval and cat-eye shapes to highlight the eyes and bring out the cheekbones

Square – a square face has a strong jaw line and a broad forehead. To soften and lengthen a square shape, choose narrow frame styles like rectangular or narrow oval shapes

Choosing frame colour
• People have either a cool (blue-based) or warm (yellow-based) colouring.
• Your eyewear should be chosen to compliment your personal colouring.
• The three main ingredients that make your personal complexion are the colour of the skin, eyes and hair.

Skin
Skin tone is the most important element in determining colouring.
All complexions fall into one of two colour bases — blue (cool) or yellow (warm).
A cool complexion has blue or pink undertones, and a warm complexion has a “peaches and cream” or yellow hue.

Eye and hair colouring are secondary to skin colour when determining a persons overall complexion. However, as frames frequently have more than one colour nowadays, it may complete the picture to complement the hair and eye colour with other coloured elements of the frame!

Frame Colours
Once you have determined if you are “warm” or “cool,” then you can find the frame colours that will suit you the best.
Warm frame colours are: gold, copper, peach, orange, khaki, off-white, red, warm blue and blond tortoise.
Cool frame colours are: black, rose-brown, blue-grey, plum, magenta, pink, and blue.